SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)- The Community Partners Network of Western Massachusetts announced the launching of a new workforce development initiative at the Sheraton Springfield Monday.

Jynai McDonald, the Regional Manager of the Training Resources of America is on the board of the CPN. She said, “The CPN is all about advocating for people in the community that normally wouldn’t get access or know how to get access to union and construction jobs.”

The organization has already been hard at work helping 108 people from the Greater Springfield area get jobs on the MGM Springfield Construction site. The plan is to have more job opportunities at the $950 million resort casino in the future.

Brian Arnold, of Springfield said he is a prime example of who the organization is aiming to help, “I got a job through the community partners looking to become a carpenter, and the program that they were doing with the MGM program it was basically came along and I hopped right on it because they were looking for minorities, residents, vets, and I happened to be all three of them so…”

MGM Springfield has paid millions to help get people in the area hired. For example paying for OSHA training. MGM Springfield President, Mike Mathis said, “Really using our project as a launching pad for putting people in touch with employers. We’ve gotten a bunch of great referrals on the construction site, and the really great thing about it is this organization will live beyond our project because it creates infrastructure for the next employer.”

More than 20 community organizations have partnered with CPN to help with job placement.

CPN will start working with MGM to help developing a workforce for their operational jobs.